A Matter of Life and Death
by AquilaTempestas
Summary: Oscar sacrificed himself to save the animal kingdom from destruction. Several months of peace followed until the random deaths began to occur. The herd embark on a wild adventure filled with pirates, wolves and men, as they desperately search for an answer. The sequel to 'The Edge of Darkness' Diego/Shira
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer**

I do not own Ice Age unfortunately

**Title**

A Matter of Life and Death

**Summary**

Oscar sacrificed himself to save the animal kingdom from destruction. Several months of peace followed until the random deaths began to occur. The herd embark on a wild adventure filled with pirates, wolves and men, as they desperately search for an answer.

**.**

**Prologue**

There were so many... so many corpses lying sprawled out on the snow-covered terrain, every single face permanently wearing an expression of fear and pain. Once this field was used as a grazing area for passing herds, but now it was used as a graveyard. The deaths had happened randomly – there was simply no logical way of explaining it. The animals did not bear the markings of a disease, nor were there any physical markings of an injury. Their deaths had been random.

Diego lowered his nose, keeping his face an inch away from a baby deer, "This one was recently born."

Sid sniffed, wiping his eye with the back of his claws, "It's so sad, she was so young."

"And in top health too," Diego commented, sniffing the deer once again. It didn't make much sense – the deer was in top health – so how could it drop dead like this?

Sid waddled forward, and crouched besides the deer. "Do you think we're being punished? You know, because of Oscar's sacrifice? Maybe the sloth god is punishing us because we've been bad." A visible shudder ran down his spine.

"Even by your standards, that's ridiculous," Diego snorted. "One, there is no such thing as a sloth god... and two, _if _such a god existed, why would they punish us? We saved the world from destruction." He pulled his nose away from the deer, then circled it. Up above, he could hear the harsh cries of vultures.

The vultures wouldn't dare eat the corpses though, at least, not these ones. Unexplainable deaths were forbidden to eat – who knew what would happen? Although they did not eat, the vultures continued to patrol the skies as they kept two eyes on the ground below, hopeful one of the corpses could be eaten.

"There is a sloth god!" Sid said.

"No, there isn't."

Sid glared. "Yes, there is."

"It would make more sense there was a sabre god." Sabres were the ultimate beast after all. Sloths were merely lazy and awkward creatures. "Where's Manny? I haven't seen him leave the cave for days."

"He's guarding the cave from nosy animals that might want to get an early view of Peaches' baby sister," Sid explained, darting his eyes in the direction of the cave. The entrance was filled with Manny's bulk – only a small ray of sunlight was shining through and that's only because Manny allowed it to. "Manny was late the last time Ellie gave birth, so this time he's made sure he won't."

Pained cries left the cave entrance, and both mammals exchanged glances. "How long do you think this is going to take?" Diego said, eyes fixed on the entrance.

"I thought you would know, Diego – weren't you there for Ellie the last time this happened?" Sid countered.

True. "That was a long time ago, Sid. A lot has happened since then." The random earthquake, the trio of evil mammals, the blood sacrifice and... meeting Shira. A lopsided grin crossed his face at the thought of Shira. The feisty feline was currently sitting at home nursing two baby sabres. Diego had left her alone to find some food for dinner tonight, but he wasn't having much luck.

"I wonder how my kids are right now?" Sid blurted out.

Diego gave the sloth a quizzical look. "Your kids?"

"Remember our trip into the dinosaur world, and I raised those little babies with the razor sharp teeth?"

"They were never your kids, Sid."

"I may not have given birth to them, but I still had a claw in raising them," Sid announced proudly, eyes almost on the brink of tears.

Diego rolled his eyes. "Like the human, right?"

"Yeah, he was also mine."

Diego snorted. Sid was a great friend, but a little crazy. Okay, maybe a little more than crazy, but his intentions were always good. He always found a way to turn a bad situation into a good one. "Speaking of kids, I should probably return to my duties. I need to find something to eat – I'll meet up with later, Sid. We need to work out what's going on around here."

Sid nodded.

.

"He's been tossing and turning like that for the past few hours now, I'm worried about him," Runar said, glancing down at his sixteen year old son, Roshan. The boy was sleeping contentedly now, but just an hour ago he had been tossing and turning wildly. "He told me that he can't sleep, because everytime he closes his eyes, something bad happens in his dreams."

Connor, his friend, placed a comforting hand on Runar's shoulder. "They're just dreams, Runar. Nothing bad has happened, and nothing of the sort will happen either. Now you need to get some rest – we've got a long day of hunting tomorrow. One of our scouts has found a herd of deer grazing just north of our camp."

Runar sighed. "Yeah, sure. See you in the morning."

Connor nodded, then walked away to the opposite side of the camp. As soon as Conner could no longer be seen, Runar crouched down besides his son. Roshan's face was pale, and there were noticeable sweat beads on his forehead. Runar reached down into his pocket, pulled out a cloth and dabbed his son's forehead. "Everything is going to be fine," he said softly, but he wasn't convinced at all. There was something wrong with his son.

Ice cold hands gripped Runar's arms. Roshan's eyes were closed, but this action proved he was awake and alert. "They're coming, father. They want answers."

Runar pulled Roshan's hands away from his arm. "No one is coming. We are safe here."

"No, no you're wrong. Do not listen to his lies. He is leading you into a trap; the deer are sick, they told me in my dreams. He knows they are ill, but yet he persists. He wants you dead, father," Roshan said his tone laced with urgency.

Runar stared pitifully at his son. The boy's wild imagination was beginning to control his life; Roshan claimed the animals could talk to him, that he could feel their pain and fears, which is why he refused to take part in any of the hunts. He would not eat the animals, nor bring them any form of harm. The other people at the camp made fun of him when Runar wasn't around; how could the leader's son be such a wimp?

Somehow, the kid's experience with those animals had changed him. He had hoped Roshan would've grown accustomed to human ways again, and for awhile he had, but when he turned thirteen, the dreams started. How long would these dreams continue? Until his son no longer thought like a human, but like an animal? Runar couldn't afford to lose another member of his family. "Get some sleep. It's going to be a long day tomorrow, and we'll need you to watch camp. Goodnight, my son."

Somewhere, in the distance, Nadia awoke.

**.**

Well, it's been a very long time (over half a year) since I've written anything for Ice Age, and I decided it's about time I returned to this fandom! How is Nadia still alive? What is happening to Roshan? Why are animals dropping dead? You'll find out soon. Reviews are much appreciated, as always!

I hope you enjoy the long-awaited sequel to 'The Edge of Darkness'


	2. The Gift

**Disclaimer**

I do not own Ice Age unfortunately

**Title**

A Matter of Life and Death

**Summary**

Oscar sacrificed himself to save the animal kingdom from destruction. Several months of peace followed until the random deaths began to occur. The herd embark on a wild adventure filled with pirates, wolves and men, as they desperately search for an answer.

**Special Thanks**

MusicRocks807, Guest, PureSaberHeart and DiegoRules for reviewing the first chapter! It feels pretty exciting to be back in the Ice Age fandom after being absent for so long. Also, thanks to those who have added this story to their favourites and alerts list! I hope you enjoy the first chapter!

**.**

**Chapter One: The Gift**

Roshan awakened the following morning and noticed that no one was there. Not that he minded – he was thankful for it actually, it meant a few hours of peace from the unnecessary teasing. Telling everyone that he was vegetarian had been a bad idea, after all, he did belong to a hunting tribe, but it had to be done. There was no way he was going to participate in the harming of animals. So he told the tribe and his father that he would no longer aid in the task of hunting for food, so they placed him on guard duty.

Guard duty was often quite dull. Animals didn't seem to come to this part of the region; it was as if they were aware that his tribe was dangerous to them. It was a good thing though – it meant he didn't have to hurt any daring creature, and spoil his clothes with blood. But sometimes he wished _something interesting _would happen to add some spark to early mornings.

It had been quite a number of years since that fateful event occurred. His mother had drowned trying to save him from the sabres, and he was separated from his father at an early age. He found himself in the company of three mammals, and funnily enough, one of them included a sabre. He remembered clearly, as if it had taken place yesterday. The animals saved him from a pack of sabres and took him on a journey.

And the strangest thing was, the animals could talk. In clear English. He could understand the animals as if he were listening to another human talk. It was unfortunate he was unable to communicate back, but he was just a baby at the time, and unable to speak. But now, he was seventeen. Were the bizarre trio still alive? And if so, would he be able to track them down and have a conversation? Would they even remember him?

"You're delusional, Roshan. Animals can't talk. You're just mixing dreams with reality again," he told himself for the umpteenth time that week. People couldn't speak to animals. Those who thought they could were crazy. Right? But why was it at night his head was filled with animals? Sometimes he saw the world through the eyes of a predator, tracking down an animal through the perilous weather. Other times he was up high in the sky, circling for hours searching for prey. And sometimes, he was prey, and running away from predators.

What had happened that day? Had somehow being around those animals influenced him in a strange way? Had they somehow given him the ability to understand animals? He wished he could ask his father, but his father already thought he was crazy, although he did his best not to show it. "What I wouldn't give for a night's peace…" he muttered, lying back down on his rug.

His eyelids closed, and darkness took over.

.

She walked alongside the river, stopping every seconds to examine the tracks on the ground. She knew enough about tracking to know the migration was going to happen soon; the harshest part of winter was coming, and the animals would have to move. These animals, most likely deer, had already begun.

"So, where exactly are we heading, Nadia?" a teenage female said, her long unruly dark hair falling around her shoulders.

"We're going to head east. That's where the grass will be freshest, and the days warmer," Nadia replied. She wasn't following the herds to hunt them down; rather, she was following them because they would lead her to the best part of the land where food was fresh and ripe. Heading east also meant returning to her tribe.

Her reappearance would surprise them; she was believed dead. How many people survived a fall from a waterfall? It was just her luck another tribe found her and accepted her as one of their own. The girl, Amitola, was the daughter of the leader. It was she who persuaded him to accept Nadia, after discovering who she was.

Nadia soon discovered this tribe was not just some rival tribe; in fact, this was the tribe she had originally come from. They were unlike any other human tribe in the region – they did not hunt animals unless they were in a desperate situation, but even so, they only took the old or the sick. But that wasn't their only difference; they were shifters, humans born with the ability to morph into other animals for a short duration of time.

Nadia herself hadn't even realized she was a shifter until the chief coached her through the shifting process. This process allowed a person to heal themselves fully, hence why Nadia was still alive today. "Do you ever think about the family you left behind?" Amitola asked, dark curious eyes locking on Nadia.

"Sometimes, but they are most likely lost to me now. It's been more than a decade since I last laid eyes on them," she replied, keeping her eyes trained on the path ahead.

"Did your husband ever know what you were?"

Nadia shook her head. "I never told him, I feared what he would do if he ever found out."

"And your son?"

"Only an infant at the time, he probably remembers little of me." She pressed her lips together, and pressed on ahead. She wished she could reunite with Roshan again, to find out whether or not he had inherited her abilities, but hew tribe warned her against it. Reuniting with your old tribe will only bring trouble, the chief had said.

All she could do was hope that her son had not inherited her shifter ability. Being a shifter was dangerous; a shifter could only morph into another animal for a maximum of four hours a day, or risk becoming fully lost in the animals instincts. Once a shifter lost their mind, they were unable to return to human form.

It took a great deal of control, which was why she often remained in her normal form unless she was desperate. "It is for the best though, the life of a shifter is a dangerous one," Nadia whispered. Although she could not see them, she always thought of them in her dreams.

.

_There was a rather large ape standing nearby, giving out orders in a bellowing voice. The other animals – a bizarre mixture including a skua, a badger and even a giant kangaroo – all set to work, fumbling through a large pile of bananas. _

"_Captain," Roshan heard himself say, as he sat atop the ship's railing, wings folded. "I see land."_

_The large ape smirked. "The White Tiger shall be ours."_

"_Captain, why are we searching for a grey tiger anyway?" a badger said, hurrying over to stand in front of the ape._

"_Because he demanded it."_

_The kangaroo hopped over with caution. "But Captain Gutt, why do we have to find the tiger? Can't they do it themselves?" she said, tapping her foot._

'_Gutt' brought his face forward. "We have made an alliance with them, and in return, we are allowed to share their territory granting us unlimited access to fresh food and water."_

"_So why are we out here in the ocean when we could be on land?" a grey rabbit said, swinging a small knife around in the air. "I'm sick of being out on the sea."_

"_We're fishing," Gutt replied. "They have taken a liking to fish, and until we find this tiger, we must give them fish if we wish to continue sharing their land." The ape drew his face back, and curled his fingers into fists. "I don't like being ordered around, but we don't have a choice. The coldest part of winter is fast approaching, and I don't want to be stuck out here in the ocean again for another winter. Is that understood?"_

_Roshan – in the form of a skua – nodded. "Understood, captain. Well you heard him crew, it's time to get sailing!"_

The vision changed. This time he was in the wilderness, deep in the woods, in a place he had never seen before in reality and in his dreams. Being part of a pirate crew consisting of animals was strange enough, but things were getting stranger with each passing minute.

_He trotted through the deep snow, padded feet leaving shallow prints behind. It was currently snowing, but fortunately not hard enough to limit visibility. Up ahead, he spotted two more of his kin scouting; two four legged, brown haired canines standing on a gentle hill. "I'm picking up a strong scent of human not too far ahead," said one of the wolves._

"_We don't hunt humans."_

"_No, we don't. But they hunt animals too. They've probably picked up some fresh meat for us. We can just sprint in, steal the food and be gone with it. The humans won't be able to catch us – those two legged creatures are so slow," the other wolf laughed._

"_You know, the alpha won't like it," the first wolf warned. _

_Roshan realized these wolves were juveniles – the adults were grey, while the teenagers were brown. He too, was a juvenile wolf. "What do you think, Raymond? Should we take a risk and steal food from the humans?" The two wolves were looking at him, waiting for an answer. _

_He pulled himself out of his trance and nodded. "Yeah, we should. Their spears won't be able to hit us. We're too fast for them."_

"_But what about their dogs? They're pretty strong and fast for domesticated canines," the concerned one said, tail drooping._

"_You worry too much, Ty. Come on." The first wolf, the self-appointed leader of the trio, rushed ahead. _

_Ty looked at Roshan and gave him a lopsided grin. "Looks like we don't have a choice."_

_Roshan found himself smiling in response, then broke out into a trot, following the trail of the first wolf. They walked through luscious woodland until they reached a human camp. The camp looked familiar. Strangely familiar… wait… this was his camp! Before he could recollect his thoughts, the wolves attacked._

Roshan sat upright shuddering. Sweat was dripping down his skin, and his heart was racing. Gasping for breath, he rubbed his temples and tried to calm himself. "What the heck was that?" Wolves. Animal pirates. Pirates hunting for a tiger. Wolves hunting a human camp. _His _camp. He picked himself up from the rug, and pushed aside the cloth, and cautiously exited his tent. He half-expected to see a trio of wolves staring at him, but there was nothing there. "Just a dream. Again. A very realistic one," he mumbled, as he headed back to his tent.

Of course it had to be a dream. For starters, animal pirates did not exist. But why did it _feel _so real? He found himself thinking about his mother. If only she was alive, then he could ask her to explain stuff for him. But she was dead. He was about to head back to sleep when he heard the voices of Runar and Conner. The hunt had been successful. He could smell the strong scent of deer, and that made his stomach churn.

He pretended to sleep so he wouldn't have to look at the poor animal.

And the dreams started again.

.

Just to make things clear, Roshan has the strange ability to understand animal minds. He can see into their heads during 'dreams' and can anticipate their next move, but he doesn't quite understand/believe it yet. His other abilities will be revealed as the story progresses. The next chapter will mostly be about our beloved herd. Reviews are much appreciated, as always!


End file.
